Tag Archive for: working mothers

Vanessa McMichael: Head of Corporate & Public Entity (CPE) Strategy, Wells Fargo

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VanessaMcMichael“I have a lot of passion for what I’m doing,” relates Vanessa McMichael, Head of Corporate & Public Entity (CPE) Strategy at Wells Fargo. “I want to make the most of each day that is in front of me.”

McMichael shares her insights on finding her niche in the financial industry, using her voice to elevate and empower others, and being a single mother while working towards her career goals.

Putting in the Work

Speaking to what she has learned so far in her career, McMichael maintains, “you have to put in the work. There’s no substitute for it. Any leader that you speak with has put in the work and is still putting in the work. It’s something that I harp on a lot, because it is necessary. It certainly has gotten me to where I am today.”

McMichael is the first person in her family to go to a traditional four-year college, and she recognizes her parents as giving her the grit and work ethic to succeed. Her father, an African American nuclear engineer and small business owner, emphasized to McMichael throughout her childhood, “Vanessa, you have to work hard. You’re going to have to work harder than other people.” It was an important life lesson that aided his own success, and one that he passed on to her.

Giving birth to Vanessa in high school, her mother did not get the chance to graduate and subsequently worked in factories her entire life. When her parents split up when she was young, she witnessed her mother work hard to rebuild her life, demonstrating to McMichael that, “if you want it, you have to go get it. No one else is going to just hand you what it is you think you need.” And, even more importantly, she saw firsthand how women can do it all.

Moreover, Vanessa is a childhood cancer survivor, and this is one of the central reasons why she strives to seize each day. This is also a reason why she has to be mindful about taking on too much, “because it’s easy to do when you’re trying to make the most of every day.” And although her parents taught her how to work hard through leading by example, her experience with cancer was a significant contributor to her drive and work ethic. She highlights that going through an experience like that suddenly, with no prior family history, and as a child, “changes your perspective and stays with you.”

McMichael took these experiences to heart, and it gave her the drive to reach goals she set for herself. After studying Japanese in high school, she attended Howard University’s business school. Initially, she wanted to move to Japan and create commercials, and she thought business school was a good starting point. But instead, she discovered her path to the banking/financial services industry after listening to a presentation by Wachovia on campus. She remembers being struck by the diverse representation of people at the presentation and compelled by the work they described.

After graduating and working for Wachovia for a few years, she then went on to get an MBA from one of the top business schools in the country, the University of Chicago Booth Business School. Following her MBA, she joined a rotational program at Wells Fargo on the trading floor where she had the opportunity to explore different areas of the business. It was during that program that she “stumbled” into the strategy group, an area she has been working in ever since.

Finding Her Niche

Working in the strategy group at Wells Fargo for over a decade, McMichael points to the value of finding your niche and a role that is a “good” fit. In particular, she highlights the variety of work she does day-to-day and the relationships that she has made as what keeps her role fresh and interesting.

“With our clients, who are corporations and public entities, my job is to equip them with what they need to make informed fixed income decisions. So, with that, my day-to-day is always different. I can talk to five retailers in one day, all in the same industry, but the conversations are varied.”

Vanessa added that although each client situation is unique, there has been a shift in the broader conversation with clients this year as the rate environment falls. “We are no longer in an environment where organizations can sit back and earn interest on excess cash so easily.”

Harkening back to her high school dream of creating commercials in Japan, she recognizes that her career at Wells Fargo is maybe not so far off from where she thought she would start: “I’m not creating commercials, but I am creating stories. I’m telling the story of what’s happening in fixed income markets and how the narrative can impact my clients.”

Another element of her job that she enjoys is having the opportunity to speak at conferences that corporate and public entity clients attend. She adds, “That’s probably what I enjoy the most about my job, is getting on stage. I’ve even told folks that I’m probably more comfortable getting on the stage in front of a lot of people than having a one-on-one.”

McMichael recently had the opportunity to speak to a much larger audience when she was interviewed on Bloomberg TV, addressing money market funds and the outlook for 2024. As this was her first live TV experience, she was initially nervous about being on camera, but then she found her rhythm, and it turned out to be a lot of fun.

Mentorship and Sponsorship

McMichael recognizes mentorship and sponsorship as contributing factors to getting her to where she is today, particularly as they not only helped her learn the “rules of the road,” but also “what I need to know” to succeed.

“I’ve had to build mentorship relationships to learn the rules of the road on the trading floor because the rules are not apparent all the time.” She adds that it is important to have both mentors and sponsors because, “sponsors are the folks who are telling me what I need to know and helping me take action to obtain it. I’m sharing projects that I’m working on or what I’m thinking, and they will say, okay, ‘you’re thinking this, you should go meet this person.’ That’s part of the role of a sponsor and the other part is speaking on your behalf when you’re not in the room.”

Using Her Voice

Reflecting on being a woman of color in the financial industry, McMichael believes that she is in control of how she is perceived, so it is important to use her voice to that effect.

“Going into situations, I’m very aware of who I am. I am a woman. I look different. I don’t think people automatically assume that I’m Black because I am mixed. So, I have a voice, and I use it. Instead of shying away or being self-conscious, I use it as an advantage. I want to be a good representative of women, of women of color, and of diverse women. We all have a voice, and we have to advocate for ourselves.”

McMichael takes action and uses her voice by supporting other women through the WomenGoFar network in Wells Fargo’s Corporate & Investment Banking division. While on the committee she created a speed networking event where women had the chance to meet five to ten new people within an hour. It was an impactful way for junior women to get a chance to meet women leaders, who might not otherwise have the time to commit to a longer networking activity during work hours. And likewise, the senior leaders appreciated interacting and hearing from junior women across business lines.

Taking her support for women in the workplace a step further, McMichael recently coordinated a wellness workshop on stress and the impact it can have on the body, particularly as women are often juggling many different demands on their time and energy. This topic is especially important to her given her health history. McMichael is thrilled this initial idea has developed into a Wellness Series and is looking forward to creating additional content to further promote the well-being of women.

In addition to taking action to elevate women, McMichael has a network of African American colleagues that she engages with regularly, whether through sharing job opportunities or articles of interest to keep the dialogue going. “We have Employee Resource Networks for diverse teammates, but this is a grassroots way that I’m trying to engage and educate particularly around internal mobility for our diverse talent.”

These projects demonstrate the value of creating a space for connection that supports the advancement and inclusion of a diverse workforce.

Being a Single Parent and Succeeding in a Career in Finance

Connecting with colleagues who can understand her experience was also an important part of McMichael’s journey, as there was a time that she balanced being a single mother and developing her career. McMichael remembers when she first became a mother, she met senior women around her with stay-at-home husbands, and so her confidence wavered as to whether she would be able to advance in her career without one. She worried that she would be “stuck,” because she did not have the same kind of support. But she met other single parents at Wells Fargo who could relate from a lifestyle perspective.

“That connection with people opened this new life for me. One where I went from feeling isolated and stuck to one where I felt empowered and supported.” She continues, “If I could speak to younger Vanessa, I would tell her not to feel that you can’t be successful in this business, because you’re a single parent.”

McMichael expresses her joy in motherhood and the exciting prospect of sharing her interests with her now older daughter. Recently, McMichael introduced her daughter to salsa dance, a passion she held before becoming a mom. They also enjoy traveling and exploring together. As she looks ahead, McMichael is energized to continue growing and challenging herself at work, while keeping up with her daughter and husband and their busy life at home.

 

By Jessica Robaire

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Wanda Woo: Partner, Capital Markets, Shearman & Sterling LLC (Hong Kong)

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Wanda Woo(Spotlight on Asia) “If you have the right skills and are prepared, don’t be afraid when the opportunity comes to you. No one can tell you it’s not possible,” says Wanda Woo on being both a Shearman & Sterling partner and mother of three children.

Defining Her Own Growth Curve

Woo entered capital markets as a paralegal in 2004 after attaining a double degree in English literature and economics from the University of British Columbia. She planned to go the U.S. for her JD, but her trajectory was redirected after her father’s heart attack compelled a return to Hong Kong. Working as a paralegal with Linklaters in Hong Kong while studying undergraduate law via the University of London was not easy but her mentor at that time taught her to never underestimate herself.

“I made it, and it was painful, but I feel very proud of that process in the end,” says Woo. “I saw early on what I was capable of.”

Woo went onto join Shearman & Sterling for eight years as an associate, during which she had three children, and then after leaving for four years, she decided to rejoin the firm.

“It was destiny to have the opportunity to rejoin Shearman & Sterling as a capital markets partner. The timing couldn’t be better. The firm has really been the only place that has truly been very important for me throughout my career path. It’s like coming back home.”

Being a Mom of Three And a Partner

Woo confesses that she thought of resigning from Big Law after her first child, worried she would not be able to meet the travel and work demands, but instead the partner she worked for at the time encouraged her to instead take flexible arrangements.

“I’ve always found Shearman & Sterling to be very gender-equal, where male partners are working well with female partners, and very supportive. I couldn’t imagine another place that would have supported me so much when I was working in such an intensive field with three children.”

“It can be challenging, but I wouldn’t personally be a better mom if I was around 24/7,” says Woo of the multiple roles she balances.

She adds the importance of loving what you do, especially if you are carving your own possibilities: “If you have the passion for the work, there’s always a way. Pick the right field, pick the right industry, pick the right job that you have passion for.”

Doing The Work that Fulfills


“I always have felt like I belong to this industry,” says Woo. “You are always meeting new people or working on new deals or learning different business models. I really like transaction work because it’s a people business at the same time. That ability to contribute is what keeps me going – the work of helping corporate entities get listed and then being able to continue that relationship onwards.”

Woo feels most fulfilled by the companies she has helped bring to IPO status, to become publicly traded companies, and the amazing colleagues and clients she’s had a chance to work with over the past 17 years.

“For better or worse, I always say I am a bit obsessive-compulsive. I’m very motivated to finish the work, be on top of it, and respond quickly to inquiries or client requests,” says Woo. “Partially, I want to be able to return home to my kids. So, this obsessive quality has also helped me be efficient as a partner while also being a mother.”

Woo is especially good at handling conflict between stakeholders while also advising her clients through transactions legally – a skill of calmness that she picked up from watching partners that inspired her.

With three kids growing up to inherit this world, making a positive impact through ESG is important to her. “How to make an impact, give back to the environment and contribute to society is something I’m learning more about and sharing more about, beyond the notions of making money or having year-on-year growth.”

“In transactional capital markets law, the issuers may not know that ESG is something that will help them in the long run. But when we bring the ESG frame, along with the regulators, to these companies, they start to realize the impact they can make to society through these measures and policies,” notes Woo. “This is something to start earlier rather than later, so it becomes a part of your corporate culture, and is inviting to other stakeholders.”

Networking, Authentically

Since becoming a partner, Woo has moved from being more execution-focused to developing and stewarding client relationships. Having once pushed herself out of her comfort zone to seek partnership has helped her to push herself yet again.

“As a partner, people will ask you questions 24/7 and you have to be responsive. But the bigger growth area is to compel people to come back to you for more work and to assure them that you have them in your mind and heart as a client so you build that long-term relationship.”

“Now that I’ve been a partner for several years, I’ve realized networking is not really about wining and dining,” observes Woo. “It’s really about being authentic, reliable and trustworthy. I’ve always had these qualities I feel, but I had to learn to show people.”

Being Inspired and Inspiring Yourself

Woo has been most inspired by the lawyers before her that demonstrated integrity: “Being a good lawyer is never enough. They showed me what it means to be truly respectable and professional in all acts. They were doing the marketing work and actively engaging in the real work. It was never just about getting deals. The common quality in the figures I’ve aspired to is that they are still immersed and involved.”

Woo urges junior lawyers to not get too caught up on monetary rewards for early career efforts but to frame it as an investment in yourself as a lawyer.

“You’re not just getting paid for the job that you are doing. You are also getting paid for the experience that you’re earning,” says Woo. “The more you earn the better. You’ll be prepared for the next step. When I was a paralegal, I treated myself as an associate. When I was working as an associate, I treated myself as a senior. I went the extra mile, put in two hundred percent, so the partners could see what I could really do, and then they would give me more opportunities. Not everything you’re doing can be measured in monetary value.”

Recently back from a 2.5 month trip to China to check in with the clients and teams in Shanghai and Beijing offices, Woo values time with her parents, her partner and her children, who are now 9, 7 and 6 years old.

Woo prides herself on taking challenging situations and turning them towards her favor – and ranks being both a mother of three and Shearman capital markets partner high among those accomplishments.

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Op-ED: How to Navigate Your Career as a Working Mother in Technology

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Working Mother In TechnologyNavigating one’s career as a working mother in technology is akin to holding a porcupine, while jumping through a ring of fire, and trying to put mascara on at the same time. It can be uncomfortable, it can make you feel hot, and we try to look our best while doing it all. In fact, our survey of over 300 mothers worldwide, published in our book Pressing ON As A Tech Mom: How Tech Industry Mothers Set Goals, Define Boundaries And Raise the Bar for Success, revealed that 34 percent felt that working in such a hectic, high-speed environment was incredibly tough and sometimes downright impossible. Being a woman in tech is challenging, but being a mother makes it even more so challenging.


With just 27 percent of female representation in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) industries, women are underrepresented. Mothers who remain in these fields are even fewer, with 43 percent of women leaving full-time STEM employment after their first child (PNAS). Since women in tech studies report that $12 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025 with a more gender-diverse workforce, where balanced contributions can lead to the creation of workplaces in which “employees feel safe to innovate, knowing that their unique experiences and contributions are valued” (JAB), there are compelling reasons for change.

As mothers in tech, what can we do to overcome the obstacles, and rise above to thrive in our careers, rather than only survive?

Here are three key steps to navigating motherhood and their STEM careers:
  • Squash Imposter Syndrome – When we believe that we are unworthy of the role that we are in or feel that we lack the skills to be successful, we often feel like imposters. According to Forbes, 75 percent of professional women report experiencing this unsavory feeling. When these thoughts and ideas enter our minds, we need to invoke a strategy to dismiss that negative feedback loop. Instead of telling yourself “I don’t know what I’m doing,” leverage positive self-talk and think about the skills that you are bringing to a role or situation. If you are a leader, be mindful about providing positive reinforcement for a job well done and enable an emotionally safe space where giving and receiving feedback is welcome.

 

  • Find A Mentor And A Sponsor – Mentorship and sponsorship are one of the most important ways to enable a woman to rise. Yet in our survey for our book, we found that just 41 percent of women ever had the benefit of these champion roles boosting their careers. Understanding the difference between the two is one place to start: A mentor is someone with whom you can brainstorm ideas based on shared values. A sponsor is someone who can influence decisions about your career and/or compensation. Note that your sponsor and mentor can be male or female so long as they are your true advocate, in tune with your accomplishments and career goals. A second step to take is to seek these crucial advocacy roles out by simply asking mentor and sponsor candidates. Most people are willing to help, which leads us to our third tip:

 

  • Lift Up Other Women – Live by the “golden rule” – treating other mothers in tech the way that you want to be treated. In past decades, women like my mom recount stories of women mistreating one another in favor of their own advancement (“To climb the corporate ladder, I needed to beat out the other women who were vying for the same limited roles.”).  While competition can be healthy, mindfully supporting one another is most important to nurture a balanced workplace where women can rise, and thrive, together. Lend a helping hand to a mother reintegrating into the workplace after parental leave. Invite another woman to join an important meeting as part of a career development initiative. Oblige when asked to serve as a sponsor and/or mentor for others.

By being confident, seeking out allyship, and practicing benevolence, mothers in technology have a greater chance of breaking down barriers and invoking change. With more mothers staying in technology, a more inclusive environment will emerge that sets the precedent for future generations. So, while the day-to-day routine of a working mom may feel like a circus act, continue to show up. Persist. Persevere. Your efforts are part of our movement to change the future for our daughters and their allies.

Other resources to nurture and inspire your journey that we often use include:
  • How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, Or Job. In their book, Marshall Goldsmith and Sally Helgesen identify twelve habits that women typically have that limit their ability to grow professionally and ways to change those behaviors.
  • The Adventures of Women in Technology: How We Got Here And Why We Stay, by Alana Karen. Alana is Senior Software Engineer at Google, where she’s worked for over a decade. She has seen it all and remains loyal to her craft. Learn how she does it, and more importantly, why she is still in tech.
  • Nevertheless, She Persisted: True Stories of Women Leaders in Tech. This book by Pratima Rao Gluckman recounts the stories of hundreds of women leaders who faced adversity and hardship in their tech careers, yet managed to find success.

About:
Sabina M. Pons is a management consultant whose focus is on driving revenue protection and growth for technology companies. In her 20+ year career, she has led global corporate teams, managed multi-million-dollar P&Ls, and built teams from the ground up. Now, she serves as the Managing Director of the emerging management consulting company, Growth Molecules.

With a master’s degree in Communication, Leadership & Organizational Behavior from Gonzaga University and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Southern California, Sabina is passionate about igniting corporate transformational change. She also sits on several boards, participates in many mentorship programs, and recently obtained a First-Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. Sabina resides in Orange County in Southern California with her husband, two young children, and Goldendoodle dog, Riley. Pressing ON as a Tech Mom: How Tech Industry Mothers Set Goals, Define Boundaries & Raise the Bar for Success is Sabina’s first book.

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Op-Ed: Back to School Strategies for Working Parents As School Resumes

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Daisy DowlingBeyond the kids’ health and safety, nothing is as important to you as their education.  Here’s what to know and do as they head back to school this (unusual) fall.

But if you’re busy adapting to the pandemic “next normal” – and simultaneously concerned that your five-year-old will have a difficult time adjusting to the school routine, that your eight-year-old will need help with her science homework, and that those standardized tests are looming, too, it puts you in a real bind.

With some special working parent tactics and approaches, however, you’ll be better able to handle all of those details and logistics while focusing on the piece that really matters: your child’s overall academic development and long-term success in school. Where to start in terms of handling the current working-parent “school challenge”? By taking charge in three educational areas that can be the most challenging for you as a working mom or dad.

Homework

Homework can all too often morph into an overwhelming, time-consuming exercise that ends past bedtime, in power struggles and tears. What should be a simple algebra worksheet can leave you feeling torn: of course you want your child to succeed academically, practice resilience, and feel comfortable tackling new challenges—but when you’ve got so little time to spend together each evening, the last thing you want to do is spend it carping at your child to finish her assignment, or checking it for errors. So:

  • Figure out an organizational system that works. Review your calendars together at the start of the week so that you and your child both know what’s coming as far as homework, quizzes, and tests; set up special baskets to hold uncompleted assignments and library books to be returned; and have your child lead “backpack check” each evening. Make it age-appropriate, but do find your system.
  • Emphasize that homework is your child’s, rather than a family, responsibility. Even if you plan to review your son’s Spanish conjugations, let him know that you’re there to help when he’s truly stuck, not to remind, nag, proofread, or otherwise serve as unpaid labor. As he grows, help him think ahead about bigger projects. As the science fair approaches, for example, ask “what’s your plan?” for making the papier-mâché volcano rather than leading the project yourself.
  • Hold a family study hall each evening. The kids do their homework, while you catch up on office emails or reading. Pick a reasonable length of time—ten minutes for a young child, ninety for a teenager, for example—and set a timer on your phone to go off when time’s up. When it does, the whole family gets to enjoy downtime or a relaxing activity like watching a favorite TV program together.
After-school activities—and ways to think about them

After-school activities can supplement your child’s education in wonderful ways, help you “stretch” care arrangements, and bring an element of fun into the relentless homework-and-testing cycle of modern education.

Taken too far, however, after-school activities can put terrible pressure on any working-parent family. Here’s how to keep perspective, ensure that extracurricular activities remain a positive, and make the choices that are right for you.

  • Avoid using activities to plug an emotional hole. It can be easy, if you feel guilty about working long hours, to “compensate” by stretching to pay for expensive ballet lessons or by spending all weekend, every weekend, focused on your child’s chess tournaments. And you may try to convince yourself that success on the stage or playing field now will make your child’s later life much easier. But overpaying, overscheduling, and overextending will only make working parenthood harder, and very likely reduce the benefits those same activities are supposed to bring.
  • Stay neutral and balanced. For each potential extracurricular activity, carefully consider its pluses and minuses. If it helps your child academically or socially and doesn’t require huge expense or time investment, great. If it makes scheduling and logistics easier, even better. But beware activities that leave you feeling like you’ve got yet another job to do.
  • Go slow. For driven professionals, it can be tempting to cram in as many extracurricular activities as possible, and do each one to the max. But your child doesn’t have an adult’s focus, energy, or drive, and her livelihood doesn’t depend on her performance on this field just yet. Set reasonable limits—e.g., one after-school activity per week or one sport per season—and let your kid say no if she wants to. Remind yourself that you can always sign up next semester, or as she grows and her interests change.
Volunteering—and how to do it efficiently

It’s unlikely you can make it to every school performance, library fundraiser, and field trip, even if you wanted to. So here’s what you can do instead. In the first week of school, tell your child’s teachers and/or the school’s volunteer coordinators that you’re eager to put in your fair share of sweat equity—but that you will be doing it all in one go. You’ll schedule a personal or vacation day well in advance and use it entirely for school volunteerism.

Maybe you’ll be the “reading helper” in your daughter’s class in the morning, walk the school’s neighborhood safety patrol in the afternoon, and take the minutes during the school fundraising-committee meeting at 5:00 p.m. When the day is over, you’ll enjoy knowing that your yearly contribution has been made in full—and efficiently. That “I’m not doing enough” guilt will go away, and you’ll be able to focus back on family and career.

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Copyright line: Reprinted by permission of Harvard Business Review Press. Adapted from Workparent: The Complete Guide to Succeeding on the Job, Staying True to Yourself, and Raising Happy Kids by Daisy Dowling. Copyright 2021 Daisy Dowling. All rights reserved.

Daisy Dowling is the author of Workparent: The Complete Guide to Succeeding on the Job, Staying True to Yourself, and Raising Happy Kids (HBR Press, 2021). She is the founder and CEO of Workparent, an executive coaching, and training firm dedicated to helping working parents lead more successful and satisfying lives. She is a full-time working parent to two young children.

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Working mothers – find the company that makes your life easier!

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Working motherSo, having recently become a parent myself, I now finally understand some of the challenges of being everywhere at once that so many readers have told me about over the years. There are many ways to be great at work, great at home and maintain your sanity. Carol Evans (former CEO of Working Mother Magazine) wrote a great book in 2006 called “This is How We Do It: The Working Mother’s Manifesto” and in 2016 it is still one of the most practical books I have read on the topic. Carol is a friend of mine and we often discuss the fact that some companies more than others have led the way for working parents to thrive not just survive of both genders with innovative policies that they are continuing to develop. There are some personal choices to make and that is, yes very individual at times but I say we need to stop scrutinizing women’s choices. The best advice I can give you is to examine how family friendly your workplace is, because although some positions are rigid with their requirements, you would be surprised in reality what flexibility can become a reality in the near future

By Nicki Gilmour, Executive Coach and Organizational Psychologist

Contact nicki@theglasshammer.com if you would like to hire an executive coach to help you navigate the path to optimal personal success at work

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Swine Flu (H1N1) and the Working Mother

istock_000009353072xsmall1by Liz O’Donnell (Boston)

While health officials scramble to control an influx of questions, guidelines and cases related to swine flu, or the H1N1 virus, another demographic is impacted–working parents. Schools have been closing all over the country. In Boston, at least six schools closed. In New York City, 16 schools closed. Entire districts have been shut down in Texas. Even in areas where the schools have remained open, students showing any flu-like symptoms have been asked to stay home for seven days. How do working parents, and especially professional women, manage their careers and their family-life under extenuating circumstances such as these?

Katherine Chalmers, a software marketing manager, is also the mother of two toddlers. Chalmers and her attorney husband have what they describe as a “carefully choreographed schedule that goes completely to hell when one of the kids gets sick.”

When that does happen, Chalmers and her husband choose from a number of options. Sometimes, one of them chooses to work from home. But Chalmers is quick to point out that this can be difficult with little children underfoot. Chalmers’ children are 14 months and 2 years old. “Working at home is very difficult,” she says. “They are not at an age they can play by themselves.”

Read more

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Returning to the Practice of Law via New Directions

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iStock_000004428195XSmall_1_.jpgby Pamela Weinsaft (New York City)

Carol, an employment law attorney, stopped working for about 7 years after her third child was born, instead leading a life filled with childrearing and community involvement. When her youngest child started going to school, Carol decided to explore ways to use her law degree but realized that it might not be that easy to return to the practice of law. “[During my time at home], I really broke from the law…I did not feel like a lawyer.”

Virginia had a similar story. “I had worked at a big Wall Street firm and in-house at a large company. I had my first child and kept working. And then I just couldn’t keep it up anymore. I retired and stayed at home for 14 or 15 years. Then came a time when I felt I should get myself back to doing something. [I] had been great at raising funds for my children’s school [among other things]…but there is a certain confidence that you don’t always have. You may have lost touch with all those professional contacts you had before. I found myself feeling a little isolated and out of touch.”

Jeanette also started with a Wall Street practice but realized that that practice didn’t really “match” with [her] family so she became a stay-at-home mom. “I did always think I’d go back to the law eventually. I did a variety of pro bono matters while raising the kids. I even set up my own small practice doing small commercial matters but I wanted to be back in a more organized office setting.”

Jim had been working in labor relations since the 1970s, when he decided to go to law school. Upon graduation and the passing of the New York Bar, Jim continued to work in labor relations and human resources, using some of the legal skills he acquired in law school but never actually practicing law. When the management team at the company he worked for was changed, he decided to seize the opportunity and become a full-fledged practicing attorney 24 years after earning his law degree.

Carol, Virginia, Jeanette and Jim were among the panelists who spoke at a recent open house for the New Directions program offered by Pace University Law School. The program, on which we’ve reported before, assists admitted attorneys who’ve stepped away from the practice of law to develop the skills and connections they need to return to the profession.

The program begins with a “boot camp” at which the attorney participants learn (or re-learn) the necessary practical skills to enable them to jumpstart their legal careers, including how to navigate the computer based legal programs like Westlaw and Lexis, hone their legal writing skills and effective management their time and stress.

Said Virginia of the process, “One of the very first things we did in boot camp was create our elevator speech. We had to stand up and say ‘I am X and I am an attorney.’ It was very hard for a lot of us because we spent so many years saying, ‘I’m so-and-so’s mom.’”

The week-long “boot camp” is followed by 2 to 3 sessions per week for three months, at which participants are introduced to various practice areas and career paths. Attorneys are also given hands-on assistance with their résumés, cover letters, and interview skills.

Carol said, “It also taught me things that I never really needed to know before, like how to find a mentor, how to take all the things I’d been doing as a stay-at-home mom and figure out what the transferrable skills of those things were (and there were many) and put them on a résumé to make myself marketable. I also learned how to network – something I never had to do before because I went right from law school into a firm. So it taught me all these valuable things.”

Arguably the most valuable component, however, is the externship through which participant attorneys can gain recent work experience in the practice area of his/her choice. Amy Gerwitz, the director of the program, and her team work with each attorney participant to find a suitable externship, whether it is a government, law firm or in-house position the participant attorney desires. “When we first started this,” explained Amy, “we only contemplated one externship per person. As the program went on, however, there have actually been people doing externships concurrently. They’re trying different practice areas; some are doing complementary ones.”

“The externship is valuable for several reasons,” said Carol, “It is for an extended period of time (i.e., 10 weeks) during which you are developing knowledge, gaining a mentor perhaps and then you have current work experience and recent referrals. Without that externship piece, it is hard to move on.”

And while Amy and her team make no guarantees of employment upon the completion of the program, they will do what they can to help the participants get back to work in the legal world. “We view our mission as preparing [returning attorneys] to have the skills to get back into the legal workforce. Given uncertain economic times and the resultant effect on the legal profession, there is an understandable concern [about the lack of opportunities]. But while it is not our ‘mission’, we are happy that over half of the former participants in the New Directions program are now in permanent paid fulltime positions and many others are staying with their externships while they are looking for permanent positions.”

Virginia added, “Nobody gets to where they are on a straight shot. Maybe we’ve all taken a detour but there is a way to get back into the workplace and [Amy and the team at Pace] are there to help.”

Pace Law School will be offering its New Directions program in NYC this summer. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis through June 15, 2009. Please visit the New Directions website for more details.

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